If you would like to ensure that channel icons for your local/subscribed channels are automatically available to anyone (including yourself) configuring a MythTV system, you can help create the "master" (all-inclusive) map of icons to channels.

+

=Channel Icon Download System=

+

As of 0.21, MythTV includes a channel icon download system in ''mythtv-setup'' which will attempt to automatically download icons for channels in your database from services.mythtv.org. If it cannot find an icon it will present you with a list of options, an the ability to define your own search parameters.

−

One of the best sources of channel icons is http://www.lyngsat-logo.com/ . There, you can browse the available icons and choose those appropriate for your system. However, doing so can be a lot of work (requiring many page hits and a lot of time).

+

To configure icon downloading in mythtv-setup:

+

* run "mythtv-setup"

+

* select "Channel Editor"

+

* click on "Icon Download"

+

* select either "Download all icons.." or "Rescan for missing icons.."

−

An easier approach is to use some new features in the post-0.20-SVN branch of MythTV to quickly look up the information. And, the best part is that you can use this new feature (and help out with the development of MythTV) even if you're not using SVN--there's no need to upgrade ''any'' part of your MythTV installation.

−

First, checkout the appropriate portion of the SVN branch with:

+

==Universal Location==

+

Starting with version 0.27, a single location for channel icons is used.

+

By default, it will be in the ''.mythtv/channels'' directory of the user

+

that runs ''mythbackend''. Typically, ''mythtv''. The location is defined

+

in the built-in ChannelIcons Storage Group (it's not necessary to create

+

or change the ChannelIcons Storage Group.)

−

<pre>

+

Run ''mythtv-setup'' and get a new set of channel icons. They'll be stored

−

svn co http://svn.mythtv.org/svn/trunk/mythtv/contrib/master_iconmap

+

in the directory above.

−

</pre>

+

−

Doing so will create a directory called "master_iconmap" underneath the current directory. The master_iconmap directory contains a directory called "lyngsat" which contains a file lyngsat_stations.txt--a plain text listing of /all/ the available icons (small channel icons--listed on the line containing [ls-icon]) and logos (larger channel icons--often "widescreen" versions--listed on the line containing [ls-logo]) at LyngSat.

+

As of {{gitcommit|6d10afe|mythweb}} ''mythweb'' will retrieve its icons

+

from the same common directory.

−

Open the lyngsat/lyngsat_stations.txt file in one text editor so you can search it for your stations. You'll need to decide whether to use the icons or the logos (I used the logos for my stations).

+

The Services API (e.g. <backend>:6544/Guide/GetChannelIcon?ChanId=1021) endpoint works with this

+

feature as of {{gitcommit|85462fb}}.

−

Then open and edit data/{baseurl,callsigntonetwork,networktourl}.txt in another editor(s).

* callsigntonetwork.txt - create a mapping between a callsign (left column) and a network name (right column); it's /very/ important that you use the callsigns used by your listings provider (i.e. DataDirect) or something appropriate for everyone (if callsigns aren't generally used in your country); ''see below for information on naming networks''

+

By default the icon will be downloaded to the ''/home/<user>/.mythtv/channels'' directory. This is not very friendly when you have multiple frontends and wish them all to share the icons. One method to get around this is to use a symlink for this directory that directs to a network located directory that all your frontends have access to, say ''/var/mythtv/channels'' for example.

−

* networktourl.txt - create a mapping between a network name (left column--use the name you defined in callsigntonetwork.txt) and an icon/logo URL (right column--copied straight out of lyngsat_stations.txt)

+

−

When naming networks, please try to use the following convention:

+

Before downloading the icons, do the following, or similar as per your distribution:

−

* If the station is a local station, append a dash followed by the station's callsign to the name of the network with which the station is affiliated. For example, WKMG is the callsign of a CBS affiliate, so its network name should be CBS-WKMG.

+

−

* Stations that were affiliated with the WB and UPN networks are changing networks. Some are becoming affiliates of the new CW network and others of the MyNetworkTV (MyTV) network and some of neither. Note, though, that it's not a simple substitution (some WB networks are becoming CW and others are becoming MyTV and some are going independent, and the same for UPN stations). The best source of information is probably http://www.wikipedia.org/. For affiliates of CW, use "CW-" and for affiliates of MyTV, use "MYTV-".

+

−

* If the station is not affiliated with a national network (i.e. it's an "independent" channel), append the callsign to "IND-". For example, WSBK decided not to affiliate with the new CW or MyTV networks, but instead became an independent station, so its network name is "IND-WSBK".

+

−

* If the channel is a cable channel, use a descriptive name for it (i.e. "CARTOONNETWORK" was chosen because it is much more descriptive than "TOON" or "CN").

+

−

* If the above doesn't apply (for non-US stations, for example), choose an appropriate convention and document it here.

+

−

Test your changes by running:

+

<code><pre>

+

rm ~/.mythtv/channels -rf

+

sudo mkdir /var/mythtv/channels

+

sudo chown <user>:<group> /var/mythtv/channels

+

ln -s /var/mythtv/channels ~/.mythtv/channels

+

</pre></code>

−

./build_map.pl

+

You will want to run

+

<code><pre>

+

rm ~/.mythtv/channels -rf

+

ln -s /var/mythtv/channels ~/.mythtv/channels

+

</pre></code>

+

for all the users that can run MythTV as well.

−

from the master_iconmap directory to incorporate your changes into the master_iconmap.xml file. Then, '''as the user who runs the mythfrontend program''', run (again, from the master_iconmap directory):

+

=Channel Icon Sources=

+

One of the best sources of channel icons is http://www.lyngsat-logo.com/ . There, you can browse the available icons and choose those appropriate for your system. However, doing so can be a lot of work (requiring many page hits and a lot of time). Once downloaded you should put the resulting JPEG files into ''.mythtv/channels/'' for the user running the front-end. To add them to a channel you will need to run ''mythtv-setup'' and go to the channel editor and specify the icon file name for each channel.

−

mythfilldatabase --reset-icon-map all

+

Another source of channel icons is http://www.iconharmony.com/ which is targeted for icons for the harmony remote. Some of the available icons are more stylized than the official icon (the person running the site is a graphic artist). As with the previous source, finding an appropriate icon can be a lot of work.

to import icons using the updated master_iconmap.xml file (which now contains your changes). At this point, verify all your channels have icons. Note that if you check for icons with MythWeb, you'll have to delete MythWeb's icon cache with the following (change path as appropriate).

−

−

rm /var/www/htdocs/mythtv/data/tv_icons/*

−

−

Once everything looks good, run

−

−

svn diff data > ~/master_iconmap.patch

−

−

from the master_iconmap directory to create a patch for Trac. See http://svn.mythtv.org/trac/ticket/2365 for an example patch (look at the newest patch on the ticket--the first one was for a very different (and harder to edit) style).

[[Category:HOWTO]]

[[Category:HOWTO]]

Revision as of 23:59, 17 November 2013

Contents

Channel Icon Download System

As of 0.21, MythTV includes a channel icon download system in mythtv-setup which will attempt to automatically download icons for channels in your database from services.mythtv.org. If it cannot find an icon it will present you with a list of options, an the ability to define your own search parameters.

To configure icon downloading in mythtv-setup:

run "mythtv-setup"

select "Channel Editor"

click on "Icon Download"

select either "Download all icons.." or "Rescan for missing icons.."

Universal Location

Starting with version 0.27, a single location for channel icons is used.
By default, it will be in the .mythtv/channels directory of the user
that runs mythbackend. Typically, mythtv. The location is defined
in the built-in ChannelIcons Storage Group (it's not necessary to create
or change the ChannelIcons Storage Group.)

Run mythtv-setup and get a new set of channel icons. They'll be stored
in the directory above.

The Services API (e.g. <backend>:6544/Guide/GetChannelIcon?ChanId=1021) endpoint works with this
feature as of [85462fb]cgitgithub.

Symlinks added for prior MythTV versions, duplicate channels directories and
any ChannelIcons directories and their contents can be removed.

Pre 0.27 Instructions

By default the icon will be downloaded to the /home/<user>/.mythtv/channels directory. This is not very friendly when you have multiple frontends and wish them all to share the icons. One method to get around this is to use a symlink for this directory that directs to a network located directory that all your frontends have access to, say /var/mythtv/channels for example.

Before downloading the icons, do the following, or similar as per your distribution:

Channel Icon Sources

One of the best sources of channel icons is http://www.lyngsat-logo.com/ . There, you can browse the available icons and choose those appropriate for your system. However, doing so can be a lot of work (requiring many page hits and a lot of time). Once downloaded you should put the resulting JPEG files into .mythtv/channels/ for the user running the front-end. To add them to a channel you will need to run mythtv-setup and go to the channel editor and specify the icon file name for each channel.

Another source of channel icons is http://www.iconharmony.com/ which is targeted for icons for the harmony remote. Some of the available icons are more stylized than the official icon (the person running the site is a graphic artist). As with the previous source, finding an appropriate icon can be a lot of work.